Manufacture of chain meshwork and chains



Dec. 25, 1923.

. w. BITTROLF MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN MESHWORK AND CHAINS j 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 50. 1921 Dec. 25 1923. 1,478,814

W. BITTROLF MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN MESHWORK AND CHAINS Filed Aug. 30. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 25, 1923.,

- w. BITTROLF MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN MESHWORK AND CHAINS Filed Aug. 50. 1921 5 sheets -shee't 5 INVENTOR flTTO/P/VEVS 'De c. 25, 1923;

. w. BIT TROLF MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN masnwonk Aim CHAINS Filed Aug; 50. 1921 SSheetS-Sheet 4 INVENTOI? z/xZ 5.4M HM AZTW4K 4 rromv; m

Dec. 25., 1923. 1,478,814

W. BITTROLF MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN MESHWORK AND CHAINS Filed Aug. 30. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 p 5 i I 2 v W W/ E wwzean A TTOR/VEfS Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNi rEn stares rena or g wILHnLivr nrr'rnonr, or PFonznnIi/r, GERMANY, nssrenon 'TO Enns'r Gannon LBEK,

or rronznnim, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF CHAIN MESHWOEK AND CHAINS.

Application filed August 30, 1921. SerialNo. 496,909.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it knownthat I, WILHELM Brrrnonr, a citizen of the German Republic, and resident of Pforzheim, Germany, have invented certain new. and. useful'lmprovements in the Manufacture of Chain Meshwork and Chains for which I have filed applications in Germany, filed Dec.,;13,1918; Aug. 7,, 1920; September 15, 1920, and Nov. 26,1920; Belgium, filed Jan. 7,1921; England, filed Jan. 1 1, 1921; Norway, filed Feb. 14, 1921; Hungary, filed Feb. 18,1921; France, filed Mar. 11,

. 1921;1taly, fil d Feb; 2, 1921; Austria, filed Feb. .1, 1921; Czechoslovak Republic. filed Feb. 21, 1921'; Netherlands, filed-Feb. 2 1-, 1921; Spain, filed Feb. 23, 1921; Denmark, filed F eb 7, 1921; Sweden, filed Feb. 8, 1921; andPoland, filed Mar.,11, 1921) and I do herebydeclarethe following .to be a full, clear, and exact description: or the invention, such as will, enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l 1

The invention hasreference to themanufacture of chain mesh-work and chains, in

which first of all the wireisbent into a U- torm and is then shaped round a man-.

drel to form a closed ring. But certain,

features of the invention maybe utilized in connectiornwith devices employing other ways of forming and attaching or connecting'the-rings- The invention has, reference more especia-llyjto'the means for the introduction of thepiec/e of solder into the closing joint,

the means for holding it fast there, the

means for severing it from the thread of solder, the means for securely closing the joint or jointsso that the piece of solder is, held last and. a general improvement, of the ring, J. t. f

Severalconstructional forms of the invention areshown in the clrawings.

v Figures 1 to] show a constructional form inwhich -Figures 1,2and13 are horizontal sections throughthe apparatus, showing the evolution of a ring member in three successive stages;

machine as regards the formation of the F ig. 4 is a vertical section through the closing mandrel;

5 is an elevation of a mandrel;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sections through the upper end of the closing mandrel and the cutting ofi device; j

.Figs. 8 to 10 are respectively a plan, elevat-ion and vertical section of a modified c0n According to this invention a piece of wire 9 a isdrawn, by the movement ofa forming mandrel B, in the direction of the arrow into a swage or shaper (Fig. 2) which consists of two fixed parallel grooved cheek pieces and the movable shaper C. After the removal of the forming mandrel B the U-shaped wire yoke formed is fed forward by the shaper C (Fig. 8). ,At thesame time the points of the yoke passinto the semicircular space which is lett between the groove (Z ofa joiner D and the surfaceof a closing mandrel E or rather of its upper end or point. e. In this way the wire is compelled to fold together and to form the joint at the center of the joining device.

The mandrel E is arran ed to move in a vertical guide. It .consists ot the semi-circular mandrel point e and of the lower thicker part E- which merges into the point 6 with a sharp shoulder e. In the mandrel is a passage F which serves for the guidance of the thread of solder L.f This passage opens into the shoulder c, which, in the upper position of the mandrel, lies in the plane of the ring a. v

The flat thread of solder runsthrough a receptacle 7 containing a liquid soldering flux and thence through a dofier f, for removing theexcess flux, into thepassage ,F.

Upon each upward movement of the man'- drel E the thread of solder is fed forward to a certain extent, the part so fed pro ecting beyond the surface of the shoulder e" and corresponding to the thickness of the wire a; For this purpose two rollers G G are provided on the mandrel, actuated by the vertical movement of the mandrel itself by means of a trip pawl g rotatable round a fixed point on the frame and of the trip wheel g" and gear wheel 9 The rollers G G may be fluted and press so strongly upon the fiat sides of the thread of solder as to impress av row of fiutings or grooves upon it. These facilitate the holding fast of'the thread of solder in the closing joint of the ring. V When the forward fed end of the thread of solder comes into registry with the 010s ing mandrel, at which the joint is to be made, the" shaper has reached the position shown in Fig. 3. The joiner D then advances to the position shown in Fig. 4 and at the same time grips the end of the thread of solder in a notch In which intersects the edge of the groove d; the joiner D presses the end Z of the thread of solder L upon the shoulder surface 6 of the closing mandrel E andthere holds it fast. 7 At the same time this end Z of the thread of solder is out off by means of a blade is (Fig. 7) which blade is integral with, or attached to, the joiner D and upon the movement thereof the cut-off piece of solder is swept'over the mouth of thepassage F. After these movements the ioint of the chain link is entirely closed by the complete pressing in of the wire ends a. Previous to this closure the piece of solder has only been-held fast in the notch la and kept in its proper position by pressure against the point e of the mandrel.

' The special formation of the joint also serves for holding the piece of solder fast in the joint, such formation being produced by the use of the circular knife A for cutting off the wire a. (Fig. 1), the bevelled shape of the edge-s'of the wire forming a somewhat triangular gap at the joint, open towards the inner side of the ring.

It will be seen from the drawings how the double tapering form of the cutting edge of the circular knife A produces an oblique,

cutting off of the wire ends, which,.upon the closing of the joint, first brings the outer edges of the joint together. Hence on this side an especially solid closure is obtained. The slight concavity of the cut surfaces,

which also improves the joint, cannot be "made apparent on the drawings on account of their relatively small scale. The arrangement of a circular knife has furthermore theadvantage that, in the event of-the cutting edge becoming blunt at one 7 a point, afresh sharp point can be brought into use by a slight rotation. It will be understood that'normally the knife A does can also be seen from the drawings.

not rotate, but by loosening the screw that holds the knife, the latter can be freed for circumferential adjustment.

A. further improvement of the joiner D This joiner is formed like a fork with projecting prongs. These prongs are so long that they penetrate into the clear space of the two jacent rings of the chain mesh-work and thus insure the positive introduction of the points of the U-shaped yoke into these rings.

Figs. 8 to 10 show a modified constructional form which differs substantially from that already described in that a special knife, movable independently of thejoiner D, is provided for cutting off the point of the strip of solder. In combination with this the strip of solder L" is guided through a pas sage, which opens close to the senii circular upper surface of the mandrel point. In this way any lateral displacement of the severed end of the solder strip is avoided, and the cutting off itself can take place at any period of time desired, e. g. after the end of the strip of solder is already held fast in the larger scale in Fig. 10) in order to permit access of the knife 1 to the strip of solder. For this purpose the mandrel is no longer provided with a square shoulder at the point where the strip L emerges, butis bevelled off. The lower surface of the'join er D is also provided with a flat dishingor concave recess. This allows the blade of wire a so closely that as little as possible of Furthermore in the construction first the obliquely located knife .Z to approach the the severed piece of solder will project beyond the closing joint of the ring. The knife Z s mounted upon a slide 2 which is given its operative or cutting stroke by means of a pin 3 upon an arm 4 receiving.

an intermittent oscillation from the main 7 shaft by well known means.

' In Figs. 11 to 13 afurther improvement of the severingdevice is shown, which enables thinner strips of solder to be cut off and,

consequently, to be used for finer chain wire. For this purpose the severing device is coir structed as an individual mechanism by itself and is quite independent of the guide passage, through which the strip of solder is fedto the joining point of the chain member I to be formed. This guide passage ceases some distance below this point, so that the end of the strip of solder projects freely therefrom; The severing: deti'ce is mounted: above the 1 mouth of: the guide passage and consists of a horizontal knlfe, WhlOlh'lS Y mounted rigidlyu pon the mandrel,and ofa second movable knife which: slides: herizontally on thewupper: side of the. mandrel. The two'knife blades l iewdirectly under the under surface of the'j oinenf With the inov able knife there is; furthermore, connected a wedge member which causes the'freellypro' jecting end' of the striprof solder -to be pressed close upon the mandrel. on the-move ment: of the knifem is the lower part of the mandrel which slides in ayertical guide in thetranie and-at the top carriesrthe liclosf ing mandrel properly so-callde andsg-irides' the. strip of soldertL i and moves it upwards by means of the rollers G G"; i' The strip of solder passes at e: outs [of 5 the :horizontal upper surface ofthefmandreltportion 1 1, 80 that its end L projects 4 freely :fromhhe'rei Without any guides: Some distanceabove a there is rigidly mounted.-thez liorizohtal knife m' 150 that its blade rm stands exactly beneath one of-theclosing joint surtac'es of thering'a', sshownin dottiedJlines. A secoiid knife 91/" with blade 'is imounted m ponthe horizontal carriage which slides? 'a' guide a of the mandrel E and as moved :hy a

tliemandrele.

striker n the-movement of'tlie blade at" toward the blade pm being liniited bymeansaof a stop n A leaf spring a bears against the right endofethe carriagevn gand causes'its' return movement aftercutting otl the ofisolderl i a In order to-guide "the upperfiend-ofthe strip of solder above the apoint'ref r-npon the? unsupported .or free uprightzseveredilpiece,

and to press same 'on thewclosi-ngx-inandrel the following arrangement thaswbeen made. On the carriage '11? there issprovid'ed 'below the knives m: and: '1?) and in the =space-betwee n these and the upperasurface :ofthellower 'mandrel part E, a wedge memberp-which,

upon the forward thru'stwofa-th'e fcarriage z n engagesfthe narrow 's1deof 1-the end L EO'f therstrip of solder and presses i't against The vmethod of operation of the device shown inFigs. 11,12 and 13 is as; follows"z By thevertical movement: of the mandrel the strip of solder Lis pushed' forward as describedin connection with the' first' "form of my invention to the extent ofthe- 0f all exactly adjuststhe thickness oi the chain :wire 5 so that "it 'pro I 1 jects to the sam'e' extent beyondxthe knife" blades m5, 171"." 'Hereupo'n the kn i fe -fis pushed forwards and; wi-th jitsbla;de, first Y J stripi fpi solder to the point -at{wh-icl r*the% closing; 'oi'nt of t11e-ri g-i =itm b'e :forrned.:-; A he same time 'thehwedge members? push'esf th nd fa rthe' solder s ep T g is now closed, so that the two terminal surof a cthiclmessgof 0.02 mm. and chain wire ofiathicknes's of 0.3 mm. to be used. 1

,By; reason ot th'e certainty of the cutting action complete independence is attained of thepmaterialwofthe soldenstri-p which; as'lrega-rdsi'its hardness and other properties affecting the gcuttin'g; operation; can i {be chosen a-t' willin' accordance with the re-' quirements of the -soldering =work tobe d ng $41.. a A, 1 Y

In order to secure-the holding :fast of the piece ofrsolder Fin-ythe closing joint, during the various anovements which a chai'n or mesh-work is" given beforeor during the completion of the -soldering, -the usual method of closing the joint; has; been modi fijetlil This modified method is especially de signed for caseswhere very hard chain wire is 11sed-;:.- ;ca= .1 e t; 0 z Furthermore, i in] the case of: very thin wires, it'loften occur-sthat the sheetoffsolder inserted in the jo'in-t does not hold-absolutely tightir'tilli the soldering has 'beencompleted. fTl 'wSQ'tWO a drawbacks are, according to thisfiparb :of the invention, obviated by the substitution for the simple closing pressure of ia joiner: upo-n gthemember' around the mandrel, ofa: number "0t rapidihammer like blows or -thrusts delivered by the joiner. Owing to this notbnly "is thelrounding'ofl improved; but also the pressure of the two closing sjioint surfaces againsteach other is a j sofstrengthe ned that a-fplatewof solder can nowbeheldrlast with certainty in any'case.

Figs. 1% and l5 sh9wa device ad'aptedto carry out-a ham'meringprocess of this kind 3 E is the lower part of the mandrel withthe closinggm-andrel e," which co operate's with the-joiner" D and with the shaper'G. The joiner-Disidrivenbythe cam disc P- which,

' by means of theroller P, the lever P the *the joiner D. The cam disc, however,-is

provided-witli a numberflof elevations and depressions R which cause a 1 rapid backward forward movement or" the 1011161 D. In t 's way-not only is the joint niade alsolb'ecomes:more perfecti ;I 1 The successiii of pressure V and release "d by fthe j'oiner fcan, whei the g; also belso utilized; even rm'dueihgtii wire leg in t lthe h li more rigid: but the reunding off of the ring joiner D, as to cause a small expansion of :spaeesbesween tithemanate; e and the is pressed against the formed link after 1t 7 may ma e has been closed. The die is fork-shaped at its working end, the two legs D of the-fork are spaced at such a distance as tolpress on the wire ends near both sides of the seam. Hereby the metal near the seam is expanded towards the seam and this ex pansion serves topress the piece of solder metal and prevent its removal from the seam by any accident. The legs of the fork be wedge-shaped. The die I) may a plurality of strokes.

Now what I claim. and desire to secure by Letters Patent is thefollowing:-

1. In a machine of the character de. scribed, the combination of a device for feeding a strip of solder, linkforming implements to bend a piece of wire and bring its ends against the end of the solderstrip while the solder strip is continuous,qanct cutting means for severing the strip portion thus brought between the ends of the wire from the body of said solder strip, said cutting means comprising alfixed knife ar ranged immediately under the lower surface of the ring in the process of formation and at one side of the solder strip, a movable knife arranged on theopposite side of the solder strip, and means to actuate said mov-.

able knife afterthe ring has been closed around the end of thesolder strip.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a device for feeding a thread of solder, link-forming implements to bend a piece of wire and bring its ends against the end of the solder thread, a,c'ut ting off device for the thread of solder consisting of a fixed knife arranged immediately under the lower surface'of the ring, a movable knife guided to cut the-end of thethreadof solder from its fiat side and of means to, actuate said, knife after the.

7 ring has been closed around the end of the thread of solder. V

8. In a machine of the character de ,scribed, the combination of a device for feeding a thread of solder, link-forming implements to bend a piece of wire and bring its ends against the end of the solder thread, a mandrel, a cutting off device for the thread of solder, consisting ofa fixed knife arranged immediately under the lower surface of the ring and-at a distance above thetop of the lower part of theman'drel, a

knife moving in guide waysat the top of the lower part of the mandrel and of means to .actuate said knife after. the ring has been closed around the end of the thread of solder. V i

4. In. .a' machine of the character described inclaim 3, a wedge piececonnected with the moving knife and adapted to press theendof the thread of solder "against the upper part: of the mandrel.

5. In a machine of the character de-' scribed, the combination of link-forming implements to bend a piece of wire to link formation, a device for feeding the end of a continuous "strip ,of solder to the point at which the ends of said wireare bent. into link formation, without destroying the continnuity ofsaid strip,.and means for severing the end of said strip in proximity to the link, said cutting means comprising a fixed knife arranged'immediately under the lower surface of the rin inthe process of formation and at one slde of the solder strip, a movable knife arranged on the opposite side of the solderstrip, and means to actuate said movable knife after the ring has been closed around the end of the solder strip.

--6. In a machine 10f the character described,means for feeding a continuous strip of solder and link forming implements for bending a piece of wire and bringing the ends of said wire toward each other at a point of the path of the continuous strip thus fed, and means to sever the end of the continuous strip in proximity to the formed link, said cutting means comprising a fixed knife arranged immediately under the lower surface of the ring in the process of forma-' tion and atone side of the solder strip, a movable knife arranged on the opposite side of the solder strip, andmeans to actuate said-movable knife after the ring'has been closed around the end of the solder strip.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of link-forming implements for bending a wire into link formation, a device for feeding a flat solder strip and bringing its end into operative relation to the ends of the wire, and severing means operating against the flat side of said strip, said cutting means comprising a fixed knife arranged immediately under the lower surfaceof the ring in the process of formation and at one side of the solder strip, a movable knife arranged on the opposite side :of the solder strip, and means to actuate said movable knife after the ring has been closed around the end of the solder strip.

8. In a machine of the character deends of the link upon the solder.

9. In a machine of the character destrokes to the joiner both while such strip scribed, in combination, a joiner provided is being fed and after the closing of the with a notch at 1ts apex to receive the ends seam of the ring. of a wire link, means for intermittently In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 6 feeding a strip of solder between said ends ture this 8th dayof August 1921.

and means to impart forward and backward WILHELM BITTROLF. 

